Of all the capital cities to visit in the world, Edinburgh might not make a person’s top 10 list, but it’s definitely worthy of a visit, and for many good reasons.
If you hadn’t considered visiting this beautiful city in the heart of Scotland, you definitely will after reading these five reasons to go.
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Festival City
Coachella, Glastonbury, Rio and Holi are not the only international festivals worth visiting around the world. Edinburgh is home to the Fringe Festival which is a melting pot of celebrations of theatre, dance, music, comedy, cabaret – anything in the arts really! If you’re a creative person and appreciate the performing arts, the Fringe Festival is for you. Typically taking place in August, you should be treated to somewhat warmer weather as you stroll the streets of Edinburgh and take in the exuberant sights and sounds of the very best the city’s performers have to offer.
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Arthur’s Seat
If festivals aren’t quite your thing, perhaps a stroll to Arthur’s Seat will be more up your street. The extinct volcano dominates the city skyline and offers stunning scenic views across Edinburgh. It last erupted more than 350 million years ago and is a popular hiking trail in modern times. There are several routes you may take to the top, some more strenuous than others and some offering up better views of the historical city of Edinburgh. Accompanied with a picnic, visiting Arthur’s seat will allow you to truly take in the ancient views of Edinburgh which are like nowhere else on Earth.
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Award Winning Food
Edinburgh just so happens to rank amongst the most decorated and award winning European cities when it comes to food. There are endless numbers of award winning eateries dotted around the city, so you needn’t worry if haggis doesn’t quite sound like your cup of tea. There are plenty of upmarket fine dining experiences to be had, most of which use fresh food home grown in Scotland. You’d be hard pressed to find fresher fish, meat and vegetables anywhere in the UK!
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Technology City
When you think of technology cities, Silicon Valley is probably what springs to mind, but Edinburgh is growing rapidly in terms of technology. The city employs more than 48,000 people in the technology sector and contributes more than £1 billion to the UK’s technology turnover each year. From companies like Skyscanner who specialise in international travel to Scoot-A-Boot who focus on E-scooter sales and electric bike hire in Edinburgh, Edinburgh is at the forefront of modern technology and is rapidly growing.
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History
Scotland has a long and rich history spanning everything from dinosaurs to royal battles, and Edinburgh is at the very heart of it all. The pinnacle of the city is Edinburgh castle which is located atop Castlehill and dares back to the iron age. It is now the home of the crown jewels but was once a battleground between the English and the Scottish. It was the home of Saint Margaret and housed royals until 1603 after the Union of the Crowns. It was later used as a prison but is now one of the biggest visitor attractions in all of Scotland, and it forms just one small segment of the complex history of Edinburgh.
Summary
These are just five reasons why you should give Edinburgh a visit if you get the chance. There’s much more to be said about this ancient city, but some things are better seen for yourself, and Edinburgh is one of those places. Will you be adding it to your travel bucket list?
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